Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's DD, a blotched king of unknown lineage; got her in Tallahassee but the guy had no info - I kept her because I liked her looks and she's an easy snake to care for and "friendly" if you can use that term to describe snakes!

I caught her catching some early morning rays in her hide box - this snake always flips this hidebox and sleeps in it like this - always has. I can turn it back over and within a few hours it's flipped back upside down with her in it!

This is a close up so you can see the patterns on the scales proper.

-John
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-Keeper of the Beasts from the East.

In case you didn't, here's a link:

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=417188,417188
Blotched Kings

Thanks for the comments on the AK photo - she's looks much like what your photo of an AK looks like in better light.

I agree with what your saying for the most part Sean. I have no problem with applying the common names as you mentinoned them (i.e. blotched and AK), and it make sense to me.

Part of my anal retentive deal with common names stems from the fact that I'm a plant taxonomist, and common names in plants...whew, forget about it! Every damm species in most counties will be called a different common name by locals - and that's fine because both persons are right - so I do my best to focus on the latin binomials and then remember common names the best I can! With over 4000 species of plants in Florida the common names are just mind boggling and I'm not sure my brain can fit the scientific names and common names all in the same noggin!

It will be great when the specialists working on the genetics and distribution of this complex of snakes in "our" area put a name on the 3d sub-species that will be the "real" Apalachicola King.

When I get to Tallahassee in a week or so I'll post up on here and let you know...outside of taking a john boat to parts of the eastern lowlands of the Apalachicola system (the drainages, etc) I'd love to work the counties around the Suwannee River - those are some sweet kings and big as hell too. Plenty of places with tin in that part of Florida and although it's been worked pretty good, there's always a nice snake king to find!

Take it light.

-John
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-Keeper of the Beasts from the East.

Sean,

I'd like to breed the AK you saw because she's got more of the patternless look to her than most of the kings in that area I've seen. What I'll probably do Sean is try and find a male that has a similar pattern (my other Krysko sibling to yours is a female too) to see how little pattern or less banding I can get from the two. Of course, I'm going to hit some areas where the more speckled of the snakes occur. It's hit and miss in that area and many a person better than me has crapped out...but living in Tally gives you more of an opportunity to find one if you keep at it. If not, I'll probably buy a similarily patterned male to cross with the one I posted a pic of a few minutes ago.

I talked to Mike at Pet Paradise this morning; he's got a female, small - 30" or so - wc Leon Co. Eastern that someone recently brought in. Did you get it for him? I need a female locality for my hormone surging males! I'm looking for a "straight" Eastern female so it might fit the bill - but then again I plan on catching some Easterns and keeping only a female or a really nice-looking male.

-John
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-Keeper of the Beasts from the East.

I talked to Mike at Pet Paradise this morning; he's got a female, small - 30" or so - wc Leon Co. Eastern that someone recently brought in. Did you get it for him?

Are you kidding? Me give a snake to Pet Parasite? Never! If a pet store kept dogs and cats the way Mike keeps his animals, they'd be shut down in a heart beat. I read your post and went over there just to see the snake though. Looks like it is a GA EK...not like any of the Easterns I've seen found around Tallahassee (which is where Mike said it came from).

I talked to Mike at Pet Paradise this morning; he's got a female, small - 30" or so - wc Leon Co. Eastern that someone recently brought in. Did you get it for him?

Are you kidding? Me give a snake to Pet Parasite? Never! If a pet store kept dogs and cats the way Mike keeps his animals, they'd be shut down in a heart beat. I read your post and went over there just to see the snake though. Looks like it is a GA EK...not like any of the Easterns I've seen found around Tallahassee (which is where Mike said it came from)

LOL. Thanks for checking out that snake man! I have to agree, I've seen some shi# in there that was pretty bad, and on a consistent basis. It was always a long drive for me too (coming from NE Capital Circle at Miccosukee Rd. toward FSU is no fun, especially during business hours). At least the chick over on Pensacola St. used to keep a pretty clean ship the last I saw (about 18 months ago) and took much better care of her animals.

I didn't think you did, but I wanted to ask anyway. I used to go in there and find dead animals (and already smell putrid flesh) in the mice and rat bins!

I have my mice/rats shipped into me, I save tons and help to keep those guys who supply our snakes with quality food going so they can keep churning them out for us.

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-Keeper of the Beasts from the East.

When I get to Tallahassee in a week or so I'll post up on here and let you know...outside of taking a john boat to parts of the eastern lowlands of the Apalachicola system (the drainages, etc) I'd love to work the counties around the Suwannee River - those are some sweet kings and big as hell too. Plenty of places with tin in that part of Florida and although it's been worked pretty good, there's always a nice snake king to find!

Sounds god John. I'd love to join you on a boat ride and see what we can turn up. And I'd really like to see some of those kings around the Suwanee River too!

You breeding any of yours yet?